Review: Rogue One Gets a Thumbs Up

December 27, 2016

By Aiden Perrins – Editor

This time of year there is only one thing on our minds. That’s right, the new Star Wars film is out in the cinemas. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is the latest installment of the worldwide franchise and has nerds, geeks, and just about anyone with good taste flocking to see the movie on the silver screen.

Rogue One is a spin off from the episodic films we are accustomed to, and is set in between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. The film follows Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) and the rebellion as they steal the plans for the Death Star.

Before we go any further, I might as well explain that I think Rogue One smashed it out of the park. It genuinely was the first time in ages that I’ve sat through a whole film without checking the time once, which is surely a testament to the pacing of the movie.

If you’re going to see this film, do not expect a Star Wars film, it has a different vibe to the other Star Wars films. It is simply a film set in the Star Wars universe. That is not to say that Rogue One doesn’t still have that classic Star Wars charm that we all know and love; with light-hearted humour, and a loveable robot sidekick. However, the intimacy and closeness of characters, which is ever-present in the original trilogy and TFA, is lost a little with the large group and sheer number of characters that make up the rebellion. And one of the leading men Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) was not someone who I found likeable. He wasn’t your typical hero that you root for, which creates kind of a weird on-screen atmosphere when he is working with the good guys.

Via Flickr

Perhaps one of the reasons I really enjoyed watching this film was that the acting was excellent, which it hasn’t always been in Star Wars ~I’m looking at you Mark Hamill~. With names like Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whitaker, Riz Ahmed, Alan Tudyk, and even Jordan Stephens of Rizzle Kicks making up the supporting cast, this film was packed to the rafters with talent. Not to mention a special CGI appearance from the late Peter Cushing from the original trilogy

Also, it’s worth mentioning that seeing Darth Vader still sends shivers down my spine, and although he is used sparsely throughout the film, he is used effectively and his place in my heart as the best villain from the world of cinema remains.

At the end of the day, if you’re a fan of Star Wars, then it’s unlikely I’ll have to convince you to go see this film and you’ve probably already booked your tickets. However, if you’re not a massive fan of Star Wars but have seen some of the films and think it’s ok, then I would urge you to go and see Rogue One in the cinemas because it’s a great film on its own, that happens to have links to the Star Wars universe.